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Well in theory you shouldn't need to, but it could help avoid problems especially if you are going somewhere unusual or visiting lots of places on a cruise ship.
Use in lots of different places could be picked up as fraud.
Personally I always tell them.

Also take a back up card just in case mag strip fails or one gets lost/stolen.
If going out close to your base then I would only take what you need (cash for a taxi to get back) and leave the rest in the safe at the hotel. Don't carry your wordly goods around with you.

i never told them when i've been abroad, which has been a few times... oddly when used to book a group outing in york (i'm in west yorkshire) they called me to ask security questions as it flagged as fraud!!!?

They say they want to be informed. That doesn't mean that any foreign transactions will be automatically declined, but your chances of having trouble are greater if you don't follow their recommendation.

Most companies use automated systems that look at usage patterns for potential fraud, so I suspect it goes like this: Automated system spots pattern of foreign transactions it decides looks suspicious. Alert pops up in fraud department. Person in fraud department see note on your account that you are holidaying in that country and cancels the alert. If there is no note your account gets blocked until they can contact you, or you call in.

I know Halifax definitely use such systems because I got a call yesterday regarding a foreign transaction I made over the internet with my Clarity card. I imagine the systems weigh up a lot of factors, so for example Chip and PIN authorized transactions are more likely to go through unhindered.

Most companies use automated systems that look at usage patterns for potential fraud, so I suspect it goes like this: Automated system spots pattern of foreign transactions it decides looks suspicious. Alert pops up in fraud department. Person in fraud department see note on your account that you are holidaying in that country and cancels the alert. If there is no note your account gets blocked until they can contact you, or you call in.

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